JERUSALEM, JAN 01 (DNA) – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has warned Israel to rethink its “aggressive policies” and “apartheid system” before it is too late.

“We will not accept the status quo. We will not accept the apartheid system. We will not accept occupation without cost, and you [Israel] must rethink your aggressive policies and actions against our people, our land and our holy places before it is too late,” he said on Sunday.

He was speaking on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of Fatah, the faction that dominates the Palestinian Authority.

Israel has occupied the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem al-Quds, which the Palestinians consider as the capital of their future state.

It has been propping up illegal settlements across the land in a move seen as de facto annexation of the territory.

Since the inauguration in January last year of US President Donald Trump, who had controversially pledged increased support for Tel Aviv on his campaign trail, Israel has been speeding up its expansion of the settlements.

Last month, Trump said the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, outraging Palestinians and triggering warnings across the world. At least 14 Palestinians have been killed and around 3,000 others injured during protests that have ensued the announcement.

Abbas said Israel had to honor the status of East al-Quds as the capital of the future Palestinian state.

He also pledged to continue all possible political and diplomatic efforts to create an independent Palestinian state with East al-Quds as its capital based on the 1967 borders.

“We are staying here and won’t leave until Palestine is liberated. East al-Quds is the capital of the Palestinian state,” he asserted.

Abbas also promised to reconcile differences between Fatah and the Hamas resistance movement, which rules the Gaza Strip.